Categorically Chloe
by ShootingTigers
Summary: Becker has a question for Jess and her answer will change their lives forever.
1. Chapter 1

"What are you doing?"

Becker looked up and found Jess watching him intently. She tilted her head to the side, no doubt waiting for the explanation that he had yet to prepare. He couldn't tell her the truth - not now. He didn't want to spoil the surprise. He could talk his way out of this. He thought quickly and came up with a reasonable excuse, which promptly vanished as he opened his mouth.

"Nothing," he replied.

Jess arched an eyebrow. "That nothing doesn't look like nothing," she teased.

So much for talking his way out of this.

For lack of a better plan, Becker scrambled to his feet and stood in front of her as a way of blocking her view of the object in question. "You weren't meant to be home until three," he reminded her. "I didn't think you would come home this early," he added unnecessarily.

She lifted herself onto her toes to try and see over him. When that didn't work, she moved to the right. She frowned as he moved with her, still preventing her from seeing what was behind him. "I finished my shopping - there were no shoes that I liked," she said as she moved to the left. She quirked an eyebrow when he moved too.

"Jessica," he warned.

She took his warning as a challenge and continued to move from side to side, her smile growing as she tried to get around him. After several failed attempts, she gave up and let out a breathless laugh. "Please, tell me what it is!" she exclaimed.

Becker placed his hands on her shoulders. "Close your eyes," he replied apprehensively.

"But I've already seen it."

He pulled a face that could only be described as a _pout _and it took everything she had not to giggle. She bit her lip and did as she was told. Becker went to stand behind her, gently kissing the back of her head as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "You can open them now," he whispered.

Jess opened her eyes and blinked in confusion. He leant down and rested his chin on her shoulder. "What do you think?" he asked sheepishly. "Do you like it?"

She laughed. "I still don't have a clue what I'm looking at," she replied. "But it seems lovely," she added when he straightened up and let out a heartfelt sigh.

He shouldn't have been surprised. It didn't look like much of anything at the moment - he hadn't even had the time to form an identifiable shape. "You weren't meant to be home until three," he repeated. "It isn't finished yet."

Jess turned in his arms to face him properly. "Well, what's it going to be?" she inquired.

Becker swallowed. He had thought up this amazing speech he was going to give her, but her early arrival had thrown him off completely. She had already seen what he had been working on, so there was no sense in making excuses. He just had to pluck up the courage and ask her.

Easier said than done.

"It's going to be a...well, I was hoping...if you think I'm moving too fast, that's okay..." He huffed and ran a hand through his hair. This wasn't exactly how he had imagined this moment happening. "This is a...um, it's a..." he stammered, only to be cut off by her lips covering his.

She pulled back and gave him a reassuring smile. "You were saying?" she prompted as she traced soothing circles over his chest.

Becker took a breath. "It's going to be a bed," he replied.

Jess frowned. "It's awfully small," she pointed out. "I'm sure it'll be lovely, but I don't think either of us will be able to fit in it."

"I know."

"Why are you making a bed that we won't be able to sleep in?"

"Because it's not meant for us."

Her frown deepened. "Who is it meant for, then?" she asked.

Becker smiled. "Jess," he began. "I would very much like it if we could..." he paused and took her hands in his, kissing the back of each one before giving her a soft kiss on the lips. He rested his forehead against hers. "Get a cat," he finished.

Jess grinned, her eyes dancing merrily. "A cat?" she breathed.

"I know we've only been living together for a few months, so if you think I'm moving too fast - "

"No," she interrupted. "No, it's great. It's better than great, it's - "

"Purrrfect?"

Jess laughed at the bad pun. "Pawsitively purrrfect," she affirmed.

He chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. She kissed him excitedly - so much so that he stumbled backwards. He felt her smile against his lips as she continued her assault. He took her face in his hands and gained control of the kiss, pulling away as she relaxed under his touch. He tenderly gathered her into his arms and rested his chin on her head.

"Chloe."

Becker looked down at Jess with a puzzled expression. "Chloe?" he asked.

"I want her name to be Chloe," she murmured.

He smiled. "Then Chloe it shall be," he replied as he hugged her closer. He moved one arm from her waist and reached into his trouser pocket, taking out an Animal Rescue Center leaflet and holding it in front of her.

Jess gasped. "Oh my god," she cooed as she snatched the leaflet from him. "Let's go right now!"

Becker laughed and barely managed to grab his car keys before Jess pushed him out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Becker maneuvered his black morris minor into one of the empty spaces at the front of the Animal Rescue Centre. No sooner had he put the handbrake on than he heard the passenger door swing open. He watched in amusement as Jess hopped out of the car, closed the door behind her, and ran around the boot. Her face appeared in his window for a brief second before she had his door pulled open. She looked at him expectantly, her blue eyes sparkling with delight.

She smiled. "Come on! Chloe can't wait all day," she exclaimed.

"We both know how impatient she can be," he quipped as he rose to stand in front of her.

Jess giggled as she took his hand and started to pull him along with her. He kicked the door closed behind him and didn't move away from it, causing Jess to all but fall back into his arms. She turned around and waited, eagerly tapping her feet, as he locked the car. He tightened his grip on her hand and she flashed him a brilliant smile before leading him into the building. It took them all of ten seconds to find the cat rehoming section - apparently, field coordinating translated into real life situations as well.

"Look at them," Jess cooed as she gazed at the pen of kittens. "They're adorable!"

Becker nodded. "They are," he agreed.

"This one," she decided as she pointed to a small black kitten. She frowned. "Wait," she changed her mind as she saw a small white kitten. "That one!"

Her indecisiveness went on for several minutes. Each time she picked out the kitten she wanted, she would see another out of the corner of her eye. She turned to him a few times and asked if he wanted to choose, but he said he didn't - he meant it too. He wanted to see the look on her face when she found the perfect kitten for them.

"Which one would you like then, Parker?"

"All of them?"

Becker chuckled. "Sadly, our flat is only big enough for one." His eyes flicked between Jess and the pen of kittens. "Go on, then. Take your time."

Jess nodded as she studied the animals in front of her. Suddenly, she grabbed his arm and gasped. "Oh my god," she whispered. He looked down at her and was met with a vibrant smile that told him she had found Chloe.

"Oh my god," she repeated as she reached into the pen and gently picked up the smallest kitten in the litter. The kitten squirmed in her arms for just a moment before letting out a soft _meow_ and snuggling against her chest.

Becker marveled at how remarkably small the animal actually was - she was smaller than his hand! She was a Calico kitten - her fur a mixture of neutral colors. She also had a unique feature that he noticed when she yawned, stretched out her legs, and snuggled closer to Jess: she had a single pink paw among three black ones. She was adorable and he didn't mind saying so.

"She's adorable."

"Isn't she?"

"Shall we take her home now?"

"Please!"

After filling out the necessary paperwork, Becker spoke with the animal carer while Jess continued to cuddle with the kitten in her arms. She saw him out of the corner of her eye and looked up at him as he approached. He leant down and gently rested his fingers on the small animal as he gave Jess a quick kiss.

Suddenly, the kitten nipped at his thumb. He drew his hand back and arched an eyebrow. A smile tugged at his lips as he moved his hand back down and began twiddling his fingers across the small animal. She responded almost immediately, grabbing two of his fingers in her paws. He laughed and turned his attention back to Jess.

"I have to pick up a few things for her before we leave," he said. He slowly pulled his hand away from the kitten, noting that the faint scratches she left on his fingers had started to bleed. "Maybe I should get a packet of plasters as well," he added as he held his finger up to Jess, giving her his best pout.

She rolled her eyes as she leant forward. "My poor baby," she crooned before pressing a light kiss on his finger. "Is that better?"

"Much."

"So, what do we need?"

He shrugged. "A little of this, a little of that. I'll take care of it," he replied. "You and Chloe can go wait in the car."

Jess beamed. "You just - " she looked down at the kitten and then back up at him. "_Chloe_."

Becker grinned. "My two favorite girls," he said softly.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, honestly." Jess huffed as she traced her fingers along the scratch marks on the leg of the couch. It had been a few months since they brought Chloe home. Surely, this scratching phase wasn't going to last much longer. She shook her head and turned to find the culprit sprawled out at her feet.

Chloe rolled onto her back and tilted her head. Jess almost melted before this adorable creature, but one glance back at the shredded leg of the couch was enough to strengthen her resolve.

"No," she admonished as she pointed to the bottom of the couch. "No scratching."

The kitten swiveled her hips from side to side, inviting Jess to pet her.

"Don't try to be cute with me."

Chloe meowed and stretched her legs, reaching her paws toward Jess.

"It's not going to work this time."

The kitten began purring - a soft, reverberating hum that had Jess losing her nerve.

"You can't just - "

Chloe let out a whiney meow and Jess caved.

"You're lucky you're so adorable."

"Yes. I know I am," Becker teased as he walked into the room. "Though, I'd be more adorable without cat hair all over me." He glanced down at his black shirt that was covered in long, shimmering hair. "Now, where is that cat? I have a bone to pick with her."

Jess giggled. "Pick away," she replied as she angled her head toward the feline resting at her feet. She turned on her heel and walked toward Becker, eyeing his shirt with amusement. She reached up and swept away a few stray hairs before realizing there was an easier way to get rid of them. "I'll get the lint roller," she mumbled as she pulled one last hair off of the shirt. She gave Becker a playful tap on the chest as she made her way past him.

She didn't get too far.

Becker was in front of her before she could blink. He had this infallible ability to sneak up on her - the man could move with more grace and stealth than a cat any day. She gasped as he took her face in his hands and pulled her into a kiss. She felt him smile and suddenly understood exactly what he was doing.

She squeaked and pushed at his chest. "I don't want your cat hair," she whined against his mouth.

His smile grew as he pulled away. "I was just trying to share the love," he said innocently. "And now we match."

"You just wanted less cat hair on you."

"Yeah, that too."

Jess rolled her eyes and Becker watched as she disappeared into the other room. He turned his attention to the creature lying on the floor. Chloe stood up and sauntered over to him, pushing her head against his shin in an effort to get him to pet her. Becker bent down and lifted her onto the small table in front of them.

"Attention Corporal Cat," he demanded.

Chloe plopped onto her tummy and regarded him curiously.

"Alright, at ease then." He glared at her menacingly. "Now, if we are to share the same barracks, there are a few things we need to settle. Firstly, your bed is here." He pointed to the untouched bed that he built for her a few months ago. "And my bed is out of bounds," he added as he motioned toward his bedroom. "As are my wardrobe, all of my clothes, and my favorite cushion." He indicated the items as he spoke and Chloe cast her gaze in whichever direction his finger pointed.

His glare deepened. "Secondly, you will respect my property - that means no scratching the sofa, no stealing from the fridge when my back is turned, and no dirty paw prints over the window sill, carpet, table, lino, duvet, or shower." He paused for a moment, his words sinking in. "What were you even doing in the shower?" he asked before he quickly shook his head. "No, I don't want to know. Paw prints on a cream carpet are not amusing. At all."

Chloe blinked up at him, unphased by his stern tone.

"Are you listening to me, Corporal?"

The kitten waved her tail from side to side and purred softly.

"Thirdly - and this bit is very important, Corporal - my car keys are not a toy. You will not steal them and hide them again. That is a direct order. As of this moment, you are a kidnapper and I will not entertain ransom demands. Is that clear?"

Chloe gave him a sly look.

Becker leant forward. "So, where are they?" he asked.

Chloe sat up and stared at him for a few moments before she diligently began licking her paws.

"Come on! Talk, damn you, I need my car keys!"

The kitten jumped off of the table, her tail brushing against his face as she hopped onto the couch and settled down for a nap.

"I will find them, you know." Becker reached over and stroked her gently. "Oh yes, I will, and then you will pay for this, you annoyingly cute feline." He trailed his fingers over her one last time before tapping her on the head. "This is war, my friend."

Jess strolled back into the room. "I found it," she announced as she held up the lint roller. "I also found these," she added as she held up his car keys." She frowned in confusion. "What were they doing in the shower?"

Becker sighed and turned just in time to see Chloe disappear behind the couch. He shook his head in exasperation, but couldn't fight the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. If that cat thought she was going to get away with this, she was mistaken.

He would have his revenge.


	4. Chapter 4

Becker didn't have much time. He worked quickly in the darkness, tying the nearly invisible thread to the leg of the dining table. Tiny beads of sweat began to form across his forehead and he wiped them away with the back of his hand as he glanced up at the open window, the curtain wafting gently in the evening breeze.

Suddenly, a loud noise echoed throughout the flat. It was the sound of a car door slamming and it was enough to have him reaching for his newest gun. He drew his weapon with expert skill and aimed it at the open window. He waited for a few moments and, when nothing happened, he lowered his gun and continued with his task.

Becker checked the tension of the thread, lightly pulling it and releasing it, scrutinizing as it pulsed under his touch. His eyes followed the slight ripple as it travelled just above the ground, making its way across the room. The thread ran around the leg of the couch and behind the leg of the coffee table before it returned to the dining table, creating a sheer triangle above the cream carpet.

Once this trip wire was triggered, all hell would break loose. He glanced up at the ceiling where he had suspended a bucket of polystyrene balls. Not far from the bucket, a net precariously hung from a light shade with a water pistol - of a similar design to the gun in his hand - dangling beside it.

Becker smirked. "Last but not least," he whispered under his breath as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his car keys. He carefully - _very_ carefully - placed them in the center of the camouflaged triangle.

The trap was set - all he had to do was wait. He looked around the room, trying to find the perfect hiding place, and eventually settled on the broom cupboard. He ducked inside and eased the door closed behind him. He leant against the wall, gun at the ready, waiting for the commotion that would surely ensue.

* * *

As if drawn by his thoughts, Chloe appeared in the window. She tilted her head, calmly observing the scene in front of her. She caught sight of her forbidden toy, positioned in the middle of the room, and off she went. She nimbly jumped onto the dining table, hopped over to the chair that rested beside it, launched herself onto the coffee table, and gracefully descended into the triangle to retrieve the car keys - all without triggering the trip wire.

She gingerly collected the keys in her mouth, avoiding even a _clink_, and triumphantly retraced her steps as she silently making her way back to the window. She hurried across the window sill and up the stairs toward the bedrooms, intent on hiding her prize once again.

* * *

With each passing minute, Becker became more and more aware of how exhausted he was. The soothing sound of that curtain being pushed and pulled by a steady rush of air only intensified his struggle to keep his eyes open.

He had waited in his hiding place for over an hour before his eyelids finally started to droop - the night shift, a day spent chasing two baby mammoths through the streets of Bristol, and the drive back to London were finally catching up with him. He tried to keep himself awake, but lost the fight some five minutes later.

* * *

Jess opened the door and quietly made her way into the flat. She assumed Becker would be asleep at this hour and she didn't want to wake him, so she gently closed the door behind her with her foot. She shifted the bags in her arms as she tried to free one hand to reach the light switch, but the bags were too heavy. Luckily, she knew every twist and turn in this flat. She could easily navigate it in the dark.

Her first stop would be the kitchen. She could feel the chill of the ice cream through one of the bags and she desperately needed to set it down on the counter. She walked into the lounge and as she eased her way through the room, she felt a soft pressure on her ankle.

"What the - "

Jess gasped and dropped the bags as something weighted fell from the ceiling, engulfing her and pulling her to the floor. She struggled to get the thick, stringy cobweb off of her, but she just found herself getting more tangled. She let out a muffled cry as she became covered in - what exactly? Plaster? Insulation? _Insects_? What was falling all over her? She frantically brushed away the foreign objects, all the while hoping she wasn't going to feel the sharp, familiar pain of a bug bite.

She was surprised when the sensation she was feeling wasn't pain, but dampness. She covered her face with her hands as a steady blast of water was expelled from the darkness above her. In her confusion, she went through all of the logical possibilities - was the roof leaking? Had a pipe burst? What the hell was happening?

Jess could have sworn she heard a door being forced open just before something soft started hitting her.

* * *

Becker awoke suddenly at the sound of the trap being set off. He burst out of the broom cupboard and bashed his palm against the light switch to illuminate the scene, firing in the general direction of the trapped prey as he did so. As the fifth fluffy ball left the barrel of his toy gun, the awful truth dawned on him.

Where he had expected to see Chloe, there was Jess - she was tangled in a net, covered with tiny polystyrene balls, with a water pistol squirting cold water on her face. She lifted her head up as she tried to free herself and she noticed him gaping at her from across the room.

He watched in dismay as she narrowed her eyes at him. The look of surprise on her face was replaced with a far more sinister look - one he recognized from the time he inadvertently turned off the firewall on her laptop.

He quickly considered his options.

* * *

Chloe had been asleep upstairs in the spare bed, under which she had secured the keys in one of her favorite hiding places - right at the back, where no one could reach them except for her. She was woken by the sudden commotion and trotted downstairs to see what all the fuss was about.

If smirking were an Olympic sport, Chloe would have won the gold medal, but there was no time to revel in her victory - not with such a unique opportunity in front of her. Chloe immediately played her hand, racing up to Jess and mewing at her. She nuzzled her with her head and attempted to free her by pawing at the threads of the net - such a show of loyalty would surely gain her a brownie point or two.

Every now and then, she'd turn to Becker with an accusatory glance. He was standing silently, his mouth open in horror. _Probably trying to think up an excuse_, thought Chloe.

"It was her!" Becker tried, pointing at Chloe.

Jess' face managed to turn an interesting shade of red.

"I mean, it was _meant_ for her," he explained further, trailing off a little toward the end when Jess started growling.

Captain Becker - Special Forces, decorated for his actions in Iraq - did what any heroic man would do when confronted with a furious woman.

He turned tail and ran.

* * *

Jess found Becker in their bedroom a few minutes later. He was sitting on the bed, clutching the toy gun and looking up at her with a genuinely terrified expression on his face. If she wasn't so angry, she would have taken a moment to appreciate the fact that she was the only one who could elicit that particular reaction from him.

"What the hell was that about?" she yelled.

He winced, but didn't respond.

"Honestly, what were you - I mean, what even - she's a cat, Hilary!"

He swallowed at the use of his full name. It wasn't her usual _Hil_ or playful _Becker - _it was his _full_ name. She only used his full name when she was angry or when she was turned on - judging by the tone of her voice and what had previously transpired, he reluctantly omitted the latter.

"You didn't even help me out of the net," she ploughed on, furious as ever. "It was heavy and I'm drenched and now I have these little balls stuck on my clothes - I thought they were insects at first, so thanks for the panic attack." She paused to take a breath, her eyes still blazing with anger.

Becker saw his opening and he took it. There was only one thing he could do in this situation. He immediately jumped to his feet and closed the space between them. "I'm so sorry. Forgive me," he whispered as he took her face in his hands and pulled her into an insistent kiss.

Jess angled her head down and broke contact.

"Forgive me," Becker repeated. "I really am sorry."

She sighed as she looked up at him. "I'm going to go have a shower while you go and clean up that mess in the lounge," she replied in a tone that told him this was not up for debate.

He nodded obediently, not wanting to upset her any more than she already was. He watched as she disappeared into the bathroom before he made his way to the lounge. He groaned at the sight of the debris scattered about the room. This was going to take ages to clean up. He huffed as he lifted the net off of the floor to retrieve his - _oh no_.

"Jess," he called to the bathroom. "Where are my car keys?"

"I don't know. When did you see them last?"

"I left them in the middle of the - "

Just then, Chloe raced past him and jumped onto the dining table. When she had his attention, she did her victory lap, demonstrating exactly how she outsmarted him and avoided his trap. When she finally landed in the center of the triangle where his car keys once sat, she looked up at him and batted her eyelids innocently.

Becker smirked. "Well played," he commended as he gave her a gentle tap on the nose. "You win this round." He rolled his eyes. "The cat wins and I'm in the doghouse," he muttered as he went to get the hoover.

* * *

"Hil, can you bring me a towel?"

In a matter of seconds, Becker was sprinting toward the bathroom with the fluffiest towel he could find, eager to make up for entrapping his girlfriend and shooting her with a wide range of toy artillery.

"I brought the pink one - is the pink one good?" he asked through the curtain.

She stuck her hand out of the corner of the shower. "Any towel is fine," she replied.

Becker reached over to hand her the towel and something unexpected happened: instead of grabbing the towel, Jess grabbed hold of his wrist. With one swift pull, she dragged him into the shower with her.

He stared at her in confusion.

"There," she said proudly. She giggled as the water cascaded over him. "Now, we're even."

His sopping eyebrow arched with an unspoken question.

"Oh - and you're forgiven," she added with a smirk as she pulled him down for an enthusiastic kiss of benediction.

* * *

Chloe jumped up onto the bed and started to knead the duvet into shape, preparing for a nice long nap. She heard laughter and shrieks coming from the bathroom and wondered what they could possibly find to do in there that was so much fun - nothing involving water had ever seemed pleasurable to her!

She drifted off to sleep, content in the knowledge that her prize had yet to be found. Imagining the string of curse words that Becker would mumble as he frantically searched the flat for his car keys was an amusing lullaby. She loved the man, but he was so easy to wind up - she just couldn't help herself.

Chloe burrowed deeper into the duvet, purring as she envisioned the great key hunt to come.


	5. Chapter 5

Becker looked down at the bun in his hand. Simply tipping his head made him feel queezy, so it was just as well that the bun wasn't for him. Very gently and politely, a trunk snuffled up to his hand and dexterously curled around the confectionery. Becker tickled the shaggy ginger hair as the baby mammoth very precisely maneuvered the bun into its mouth.

As it was doing so, another trunk started to search Becker's clothes, doing a mammoth pat down to try and locate a bun of its own. Becker smiled and retrieved an identical bun from his cargo pocket, presenting it to the second - much less patient - baby mammoth.

He was feeling awful. 'Man flu' Jess had mockingly called it in between his sneezes, but even she had started to look worried when he stumbled in the Ops room on his way to the menagerie. It had been a long time since he'd actually felt ill. Wounded, yes - but ill, no. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep, but he couldn't go without saying goodbye to the two young mammoths to whom he had become very attached since their somewhat chaotic first meeting in Bristol's Broadmead Shopping Centre.

Their anomaly had closed just before the team could herd them back through it, so they had to be tranqued and brought back to the menagerie. Later on today, they were being transported to the new ARC Park, where they could roam outside. Becker knew this was best for them, but he'd miss them.

He sneezed again.

A voice in the dim lighting startled him, making him turn much quicker than he should have. His head swam.

"Are you infecting my mammoths?" Abby's voice rang out.

"Doh, I'mb dot," he managed.

"Becker, go home, you're in no fit state to do anything round here."

"Just wanded doo day bye du dem." He sneezed again.

"Go. Home." Abby was kind, but firm.

"Doh." Becker tried to look defiant, but apparently didn't manage it because Abby just gave him a pitying look.

"Yes," she insisted. "Anyway, Jess has just called you a taxi - it'll be here in ten minutes, so you don't have much choice."

Two trunks started to ferret around his clothing, searching for more food. Suddenly, one of the trunks made a funny noise and sneezed just above his head. He stood there with sagging shoulders and a look of utter dejection on his face as mammoth mucus dribbled down the back of his neck.

Abby had to turn away to hide her smile.

Becker looked worried. "Had he caughd id off be?" he asked.

Abby turned to him. "No, mammoths can't catch human viruses. I think that was just hay dust," she reassured him.

Relief washed over his features as Becker turned to the pair of little mammoths. "Oh weld. Bye boys. Be good. I'll bring dou bunds whend I visid," he promised, stroking their foreheads as they curled their trunks around his arms.

Abby had to admit it was a sweet sight, but she needed to move things along. "Come on, plague-pit, let's get you in that taxi," she said as she guided him out of the menagerie and toward the ARC entrance. Despite his protesting, Abby insisted on waiting with him until the taxi arrived.

* * *

Two things were foremost in Becker's mind when he finally walked into the flat. The first was food, the second was sleep. He closed the door behind him and immediately made his way to the kitchen.

He plodded over to the fridge, peered inside, and pouted as he saw the near empty shelves. A jar of anchovies and some raspberry jam sat forlornly in the door, reminding him that Jess was bringing the shopping home with her tonight. He was so hungry that he actually considered the fish and jam combination, but his stomach flipped in response to the thought.

However, a seed had been planted in his mind. He moved on to the freezer and, as luck would have it, there was an emergency loaf and - he was sure he could hear angels singing as he removed them from the back of the shelf - a packet of fish fingers.

Fish was good for you. Yes, very good for you. Lots of omega three oils and healthy stuff. And bread, well, how could that possibly be bad for you? His stomach made a low growling sound as he reached for the frying pan and started concocting his medicinal fish finger sandwich. He looked in the fridge again, just to double check. No tomato sauce. He shrugged. Oh well, you can't have everything.

As he turned back to the frying pan, he noticed a small container on the counter. A closer look revealed that the container held the medicine that he refused to take that morning on account of it being the most disgusting thing he'd ever tasted - considering he'd tasted Matt's cooking, that was saying something.

He remembered Jess telling him to 'man up' and take the medicine if he wanted to get his voice back. A few hours ago, he was willing to sacrifice his voice in order to avoid the foul smelling liquid, but now he was having second thoughts. The medicine didn't seem as bad as trying to maintain authority while sounding like a congested five year old.

* * *

Chloe lifted her head drowsily. She mewed softly and drew in a long, slow breath. What was that heavenly aroma? Oh! It took her less than a moment to identify the scent - it was her favorite, after all.

She meeped with joy and rolled onto her back to stretch out her legs, leaving silky hairs on Becker's black jeans. She jumped off of the bed and trotted out of the bedroom, tail high and charm on full strength.

* * *

Becker hurried over to the couch, a plate in one hand and a cup of sweet tea in the other. He placed the cup on the small coffee table in front of him and used his free hand to maneuver his fish finger sandwich into his mouth. He took a large bite, desperate to get the taste of medicine out of his mouth, before dropping it back on the plate and placing it on the coffee table.

He plopped onto the couch and grabbed the remote off of the armrest. He began flicking channels, looking for something to watch while he ate his meal. He hadn't even made it through ten channels before he was sound asleep.

* * *

Chloe slowly crept into the lounge, wondering how she was going to get a bite of that delicious smelling sandwich. She knew it was unlikely that Becker would just let her have a taste - she was going to have to work for it.

Or so she thought.

She was delighted when she approached the couch and saw that Becker had fallen asleep. What luck! She hopped onto the coffee table and ate up every piece of fish in that sandwich. She licked her paws triumphantly and went to investigate her fish finger benefactor. She hopped somewhat heavily onto the couch, her tummy a little fuller than usual, and sniffed at Becker.

She wrinkled her nose at the new smell that had recently invaded her domain - a funny, large, old, zoo-like smell. Becker didn't wake, so she edged toward him, not entirely sure that this wasn't a trap. As his bunged up breathing turned to quiet snoring, she snuggled up close to his warm body for a nice, long nap.

* * *

Jess stumbled into the flat balancing two large bags in her arms, effectively obstructing her vision. She made her way over to the kitchen, ever wary of traps that may have been set by Becker. She expressly forbade him from doing so, but the man hardly listened.

She placed the bags on the counter and turned toward the lounge. "If you set another trap, Becker, so help me - " she stopped when she noticed him sleeping soundly on the couch.

Jess frowned as she tip toed over to him. "Hil," she whispered. "The couch is bad for your back." She shook him gently. "You should really go sleep in the - " she stopped again, but this time to giggle.

Becker woke with a start. "What? What happened?" he mumbled, bringing his hand to his head in an effort to stop his dizziness.

"You'd think you'd seen enough of the past in our line of work," Jess teased.

"What?"

She motioned to the nearly muted television that was playing an episode of _Antiques Roadshow_.

He chuckled. "That's probably why I fell asleep," he replied.

Jess smiled knowingly. "Your voice sounds much better," she pointed out.

"It does."

"I wonder how that happened."

"Me too."

Jess swatted his arm. "Was the medicine really that awful?" she asked.

Becker nodded. "God, yes," he replied vehemently.

Chloe yawned and shifted to a sitting position, catching Jess' eye for the first time. "Hi sweetheart," she cooed as the kitten stepped onto Becker's stomach and let out another yawn.

"You woke her up," Jess admonished.

Becker rolled his eyes. "Now, she may only get twenty hours of sleep today," he grumbled. "Poor thing." His stomach let out a loud growl, prompting him to reach for his sandwich, which he was surprised to find was now just a couple of slices of bread.

"What happened to the middle of my sandwich?" he asked with a mixture of pathetic shock and annoyance.

Jess shrugged and glanced down at Chloe. "Oh my god," she gasped as she noticed the crumbs on the kitten's whiskers.

"What?" Becker asked, not looking up from the coffee table.

Jess giggled. "I think I know where your sandwich filling went," she replied as she lifted Chloe into her arms and gave her a kiss on the nose. Suddenly, Jess pulled away with a look of utter disgust on her face. "What is that smell?" She turned to Becker. "What kind of sandwich did you make?"

Becker shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "You know, just a sandwich."

"What was in it?"

"Normal stuff."

"Becker!"

"Okay," he conceded. He looked down at the remains of his meal. "Fishfingers," he mumbled, sounding as embarrassed as he looked.

Jess made a face. "That's repulsive," she said after a moment. "Why would you even make that?"

Becker arched an eyebrow. "To prevent myself from starving to death," he replied.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry. I completely forgot that we didn't have anything to eat."

"I was desperate," he moaned. "I'm hungry and I'm sick," he added, suddenly looking pathetic.

Jess took pity on him. "You poor thing," she cooed. "You rest on the couch while I make you a nice meal." She turned her attention to the kitten in her arms. "You, on the other hand, are not getting anything. Eating his sandwich wasn't very nice," she scolded as she placed Chloe on the couch beside Becker and started to make her way toward the kitchen.

Becker smiled. "Thank you," he called to her retreating figure. He glanced down at Chloe, his eyes shining with merriment. "Not so smug now, are you?" he teased.

Chloe had to admit that she wasn't. She hopped off of the couch and walked toward the bedrooms, feeling less than happy about what just happened. She scanned the bedroom and, spotting a black t-shirt that was shockingly free of hair, she curled up on it.

He may have won that battle, but she still had plans to win the war.


End file.
